Netflix taketh away, and Netflix giveth. Netflix is about to taketh once more (this time from your wallet), with CEO Reed Hastings noting on a recent conference call that the promised Blu-ray premium would be instituted "very shortly." Specifics weren't mentioned, but we are hearing that the new pricing will be applied across its entire subscriber base "based on how the tests go." Hastings did note that BD rentals still make up a "very low" percentage of rentals, but of course, that will obviously change as time progresses. Any guesses as to how much said "premium" will be?

[Image courtesy of WorkItMom, thanks Dan]

Just weeks after hearing that Poland's Cyfra+ would be acquiring Eurosport HD in late May comes word that the satellite provider will likely be raising its rates in the near future. Based on a local report, customers will have to pay more (exact bumps were undisclosed) for the Basic, Komfort and Prestige packages starting in June, though the fee for National Geographic HD would simultaneously fall. Thankfully, the price hike isn't for naught, as it's planning to add in HBO HD (along with several others later in the year) and its very own VOD service to boot. Make that HD VOD and we're really on to something.

Whoa boy, we can't imagine this going over well with the Blu-ray junkies in attendance. On a conference call held earlier today, Netflix CEO Reed Hastings made mention that it planned on instituting a "modest monthly premium" to its normal subscription rate for folks who rented BDs. Of course, the move only makes perfect sense -- after all, the discs do cost more, and according to Mr. Hastings, "consumers are used to paying more for high-definition content." Unfortunately, we're not sure if the price hike (exactly how much has yet to be disclosed) will apply flatly to every single Blu-ray renter or if the premium will be applied in a tiered fashion based on how heavily you rent HD media versus traditional DVDs. With the change slated to occur "later this year," though, we won't be wondering for long.

[Via CNET, image courtesy of WorkItMom]